This is the city: Los Angeles, California. I work here. I'm an ex-mayor. Los Angeles is a magnet for people from all over the world. Some of them run for public office. Inevitably some of them stray from the golden rule and rule for those that have the gold. That's when I go to work. My name is Yorty. I'm a dead pol.

The idea is to coalesce many local and regional Chambers of Commerce, business organizations and other groups under one umbrella along the same model as the LA County Federation of Labor. Indeed, the plan has caused Maria Elena Durazo, executive secretary-treasurer of the County Fed to get her panties in a bunch. Durazo fears the organization could be a "another tool to defeat reasonable proposals made on behalf of workers in Los Angeles."

The organization could be an effective resource for business to fight back against job and business killing proposals here in Los Angeles. For too long, business has rolled over and played dead as unions and other special interests took control of City Hall.

The fear I have is that the organization - though having some 40,000 businesses under its umbrella - is too close to a number of the "usual suspects" such as the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce who have often times put their desire for a cozy interest with the Downtown power payers ahead of their members as a whole citywide. Indeed, politically connected attorney and outgoing LA Chamber Chairman David Fleming will be Chairman of the new group.

However "BizFed" for now is worth a shot. Only time will tell if the organization will be a true advocate for business or a lapdog for the hoi paloi.

7 Comments:

The first thing they could do is get the City to stop sending tax bills to every 1099 whether they owe taxes or not. The City shamelessly rips off some of the people who are struggling the most: the contract workers who don't have adequate accountant advice.

That's true Joe. As well as sole propreitors who are starting new businesses, writers, artists, etc. Its pretty onerous if you're just one guy with a dream that wants to start a business in his spare bedroom.

If the City sends an business license to a new business, they send a copy to the IRS. If the company fails the City still sends it every years, even if you say the business closed. If the failed business owner is not careful IRS can tax them for the "average amount most people in those types of jobs make" for each of those years, even if your business closed.